Elsa flicks a hand and casts a scoring ray (electrical)
touch
The monk winces in pain as the magical and mundane missiles strike him.
Seeing Lanatir front and center he advances on the elven warrior, slashing at him with an arachnoid leg. Lanatir easily dodges, however.
Aakif decides to go all the way around the room to reach the other door, rather than get in Lanatir's way.
Lanatir strikes with his Curve Blade, then steps aside.
Zyrel stowed his bow, and moved to stand behind Lanatir. As he moved he drew the wicked, branch like spear he used in close combat. "I have your back."
The sorcerer loads his gun, not willing to use his last magic missile just yet.
The monk easily dodges Elsa's shocking ray and ducks under Lanatir's sword swing.
He steps forward, slashing at both Zyrel and Lanatir. Though Zyrel manages to dodge out of the way in a flash of foresight, Lanatir isn't so lucky and gets clawed for 7 damage.
Oh a toughie. Can your mother stitch this!
Aakif opens the second door and walks around to flank with Zyrel
Armanus steps around Elsa for a better shot.
Lanatir steadies himself, tries to put his past failures out of his mind, and strikes at the monk.
Zyrel realises what Lanatir has been setting up for 'Ow. Endgame. Best thing I can do is enable.'
He drops his spear, and in a single move draws a curved blade the same size as Lanatir's and strikes.
Though the party's luck was dubious just moments ago, fate seems to have smiled on them this time.
Elsa's magic missles and Armanus' bullet strike at the same time as the two elven warriors work in deadly concert, Zyrel distracting the foe with a slice to the back as Lanatir cuts a long gash down the spider-monk's torso.
He falls and does not rise.
Well he was annoying. Next
Lanatir cleans his blade.
"Let us continue."
He moves into the room beyond and looks around.
Zyrel mirrors Lanatir. Sword clean, he bends, retrieves and stows his spear, and then retrieves his bow. "Need to get self-stowing weapons" he grumbles.
Zanatir hesistates "I suppose someone should loot the corpse." he says with distaste, obviously intending not to be that person.
"Afwan" Aakif excuses himself as he loots the body. Afterwards, should no one else complain, he offers the room in front of them as their next destination.
East looks good
Elsa casts detect magic to examine the gear of the corpse
Smaller passageways extend off the main hall to the north and the south, though they're dark and thick with cobwebs.
The monk has little of value save for a jade pendant carved with the image of Unuxi.
The door creaks open to reveal a grisly sight.
A humanoid corpse sits on a gilded throne, dried and dessicated beyond most recognition, covered in webs.
An inscription in several languages runs along the walls, one of which Jerax recognizes as Infernal.
Two statues of the same spider-human hybrid, these ones larger and made partly of gold, stand on either side.
The inscription reads, Approach the devoured with reverence, and the way to the nest will be revealed, lest your fate be the same as theirs.
Zyrel's bow hovers over the dessicated corpse. "Fire arrow?" he asks causally. His eyes track the words "I'm hardly a linguist, but I don't recognize the writing"
Having plenty of experience with reverrence, Aakif gets a crazy idea. "I think I know what is going on."
Aakif faces the statues, then raises his hands to his ears.
"Abadar is the greatest."
As he goes through his routine prayer, Aakif prostrates himself. Each time he finishes a line of chant, he shuffles closer to the humanoid corpse.
"All praises and thanks be to Abadar, Guardian of the First Vault, the most Gracious, the most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, from You alone we seek help. Guide us along the straight path - the path of those whom You favored, not of those who earned Your anger or went astray."
"This has the feeling of a trap or puzzle... I prefer solving such things rather than just smashing our way through... Aakif may have the answer."
Zyrel keeps his bow trained "Well Lanatir, if it goes wrong, you pull him out and I'll shoot whatever's coming in."
Elsa watches the priest with interest.
So, do you think Abadar will actually appear to help, or is this one of those invisible religious things?
She considers
And shouldn't you be praying to their god? I mean if I was a god, and someone started praying to another god in my temple, I may get cranky.
Realising she may be a bit too agnostic, she adds So I've heard
Aakif pays no heed to his companions, as he's in the middle of prayer. Abadar will grant them the answers they seek if He so wills it.
As Aakif kneels to pray, he sees a small switch at the base of the throne between corpses feet.
He so wills it, and so Aakif will flip the switch at the base of the throne.
"Glory to Abadar, all praise belongs to Abadar, Abadar is the greatest."
Elsa stares. Then shrugs. Maybe Abadar actually helped/
Not Lanatir. He is letting Aakif try his approach first.
Armanus follows the others in.
Lanatir will go in if he is asked.
I'm there
Elsa and Armanus, not following Aakif's lead, are caught unawares by the arms of the statues lashing out, slicing into them for 12 damage!
A hidden door swings open behind the throne, revealing a dark room beyond.
ow! Elsa moves so the statues cannot do that again
Armanus follows the halfling, cursing in Infernal.
"Forgive me, friends. I should have warned you about what might happen." Aakif says. "Kneel down and follow me, please. I will heal you on the other side of this throne."
"Abadar provides." He mutters to himself with pride.